Tell me you know who Lassie is. Yes! I honestly have not met anyone who does not know about that beloved rough collie Hollywood icon, Lassie. I’ve had people from South America tell me how they had very few TV channels to watch growing up, but their parents made sure they could see the affable “Lassie” show classic reruns.

Well, I am honored to live with two Lassies. I know, I am beyond blessed, even if the girls do sometimes boisterously bark at a rogue squirrel in the backyard or the noisy trash truck. I would like to give a shout out here to my just-turned 6-year-old Maisie and her work in pet therapy

Maisie Mondays

Every Monday afternoon, Maisie and I visit one of our local hospitals to cheer on the medical staff, patients, family members and visitors. Maisie and I have been doing this since the fall of 2019. Before that, her sister, Bellie, was my sidekick on the therapy visits. One of the RNs named our pet therapy visits Maisie Mondays. It stuck.

Every other Wednesday, Maisie and I join a pet therapy team to help airmen decompress at Schriever Space Force Base on the outskirts of Colorado Springs. It is so fun to see a bunch of burly men get down on the floor and baby talk to my collie girl!

Let me share a simple truth. Every week when I walk out of the hospital with Maisie after visiting dozens of hurting patients, anxious loved ones and stressed hospital staff, I say to myself: I don’t have a problem in the world.Sure, I have lots of swirling personal and work pressures, but somehow pausing my day to bring playful paws to others, melts my worries even . . . if just a tad.

Connecting with “Mom”

The photos you see here are from a recent visit when this patient nearly slid out of her chair in sheer joy over seeing Maisie trot in the room. The patient LOVES dogs and misses her babies at home. Her daughter snapped these photos of Maisie connecting with “Mom” and then texted the photos with this encouraging note.

Beth, I just wanted to say thank you again. This really made her day. She was happy and laughing and smiling afterwards. If you notice in the photos my mom is using her left arm… The one that was terribly weakened by the stroke. Three strokes that presented as one big one. She will only move her arm if we are prompting her to. These pictures show that she was moving her arm A LOT… without any prompting from any human. This was very neat. Thank you so much! If we are still here the next time you come around we hope to say hi again to Maisie.

Mom was moving her partially paralyzed arm as she focused on hugs from Maisie. Getting this news about Medicinal Maisie still brings a smile to my face and heart.

Just Show Up

Sometimes when we least expect it, we are used to make a true difference in someone’s life. One of my mottos is “just show up.” You never know how your presence will lift someone from discouragement or bolster someone to make a tough decision. Or keep a sluggish arm moving.

I know on many a day, some of us feel as if we’re stuck in a deep well with Timmy. I can totally relate! I’m here to send Maisie if you need her. She’ll be sure to lean in and give you a huggie. Just note that she’s booked on Maisie Monday afternoons and every other Wednesday morning. Other than that, she’d love to be right over with a woof, hug, woof.Vietnam football livexoilacwatch anytime